Jump to content

Golden Corral, Pancho's and Other Low-Brow Eateries of Your Youth


Guest

Recommended Posts

55 minutes ago, Rudiger said:

Bennigans was low brow? My mom took me there one time, I got a Monte Christo, and I felt like the Sultan of Brunei. Then again, we were poor and from a small town, so eating out was a big deal. 

Wife had her first girl/girl experience with a chick we met at a Bennigans in Florida on industry night. So, this post hits close to home.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
  • Drool 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

As a baby lawyer, I was involved in a large case relating to the leveraged buyout of Furr's.  I had to go to Lubbock for a shareholders meeting, which ended right around lunchtime.  I had time before my flight, thought it would be wise to do some research, so I had lunch at the "flagship" Furrs in lubbock.  

Then I got on a plane.

I generally avoid destroying an airplane lav on a short flight.

The "don't destroy the lav" option was not a possibility for me that day.  I was forced to do horrific damage. SWA may have scrapped that 737 afterwards.  They probably should have.  

I didn't eat at Furrs again.  I learned all I needed to know.

Good think you weren't flying private with the clients.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got feelings on this and you’re all gonna read them.

Sirloin Stockade and Bonanza are the top tier here. A thin, cheap grilled sirloin and baked potato with some rolls at those places was damn good food for the money. Salet bars pretty good. You didn’t hate yourself after. 

Shoneys was a step below. But, Shoneys had a better salet bar for one reason, which is its creamy Italian dressing; the only other place you could get that was Pizza Hut when it had salet. The rest of the salet bar was good too. Almost Jason’s Deli level. True story, I was male student of the quarter in 8th grade and the reward was dinner at Shoney’s with the Vice Principal and the female student of the month. That is also a scene from Napoleon Dynamite that ended up on the cutting room floor, I believe. 

Golden Corral is slop. Have some gotdamn self respect. 

Some of you assholes are pretty fancy calling Bennigans, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc. “low-brow.” Olive Garden was borderline prom date worthy. Only the big city had Bennigans or a Red Lobster. 

And all of you are lying to us and yourselves if you can’t admit that a Monte Cristo, or Cheddar Bay biscuit, or Olive Garden salet (extra banana peppers and red onions) with garlic bread is fine eating. 
 

 

Edited by 956 Worldwide
  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, TheStoicPaisano said:

Bob Evans/Shoneys/Friendlys patrons seem like a bunch of olds waiting to die. Wildfire BBQ sauce is decent though.

Oh.....Shoneys.  I'd forgotten about Shoneys.  Last time I was in one was well over 20 years ago.  And man, did we look GOOD.  We'd done a halfass duck hunt back in West bay, chilly winter morning.  We packed up our dekes, got back to the truck, and we were starving.  We hauled up to town to find some grub.  4 of us walk in to Shoney's.....still in our chest waders, with mud on them.  We load up plates with breakfast foods, we give zero fucks.

I enjoyed the meal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SimonBolivar said:

I know Cheddars has a Monte Christo but I haven't stepped foot in one in probably 10 years to know if they're good or not.

I had one about 17 years ago there.  Damned thing was like hyper sweet county fair food with a side of grape jelly to dip it in.  I need a little savory with my sweet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, dcbc said:

So on the BBQ side of this thread, is this where we talk about Luther's and Tony Roma's?

Over a decade ago, as great barbecue in Texas was still a word of mouth thing and nationwide was almost nonexistent, I was living in Arlington, VA. I got a craving and wandered into a Red, Hot, and Blue. It was revolting. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Golden Corral and Furrs were when we met for extended family dinners back in the 80s when we decided to slum it from the usual Lubys. 

Red Lobster and Olive Garden were high class dining for me back then when I was a kid. They serve wine? Might as well have been a 5* in France as far as I knew. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Used to work for the Army All-American Bowl. 

staff stayed in Grand Hyatt Bowl Week but got Denny’s cards for breakfast.

The Army Marketing folks LOVED the Chili’s in Rivercenter Mall.

smoked tons of weed making the rounds on foot amongst all the hotels.

EDIT: Olive Garden house dressing indeed slams and goes hard.

Edited by TheStoicPaisano
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, baboso said:

OG Pancho's sour cream enchiladas and chile relleno were legit.  The answer on sopapillas was always just one more.

Oh god...I HATED their chile rellenos...I tried them a couple times just to be sure and I could not stand them.

Fast forward to a few years after A&M when I was first went to work out at WSMR and our group went out to eat at Chope's the first night.  (As the new guy I thought they were fucking with me about the egg on top, but since they all ordered it, too.  Thank god I did).  But, they all said to get a chile relleno on they side.  Based on my Pancho's experience I was horrified, but since it was paid for (we were on per diem for the trip) I figured WTF...

Changed my entire view on CR.  Got them with EVERY meal after that.

Never tried the Pancho's CR again, though.  Didn't want to ruin it for me again.  IIRC it was the batter they used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, texashorne said:

Cici's pizza after track meets in HS.. When I went, It was all you can eat for only 2.99. We used to compete on how many slices to eat.. 27 was the record from the 800/1600 runner. 

 

 

In high school, I once did 27 slices of pizza, two big salads, and a bowl of chocolate pudding  at Mr. Gattis. Oh to have the metabolism of a 17 year old athlete again.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, threesheets said:

Most of the  good stuff has been covered, but I'll add Grandy's.  My freshman year they had all you can eat (included chicken and CFS plus whatever sides)- I think it was $4.99.  Glorious.  Especially toward the end of hell week when I'd basically fasted for 5 days straight.  We got sent on a "scavenger hunt" and that was the first place we stopped.  

That shit tasted really fucking good.  I think I put down 4.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Bennigans had an excellent Monte Cristo.  As did Jojo's/Coco's (of which there once were many, and now they're gone).  I haven't had a Monte Cristo in probably 20 years.  Jesus they were glorious.

Edit:  I see others suggested this as well; I just posted then read through the thread.

If you ever get the hankerin', Cheddars has you covered.  It's pretty tasty.

 

monte-cristo.jpg

 

 

Edited by Francisco 2.0
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Bennigans had an excellent Monte Cristo.  As did Jojo's/Coco's (of which there once were many, and now they're gone).  I haven't had a Monte Cristo in probably 20 years.  Jesus they were glorious.

There is still a Bennigans in Borger.  I have the 1/2 Monte Cristo and the French Onion soup every 3-4 months or so.  It's still weird AF to me.  You made it in Borger and Monahans, but not the rest of the world?

Also: From way back in the early/ mid 80's Duffs... claimed to be a high end buffet.  As a kid I fucking loved it.  Obviously everyone else did not.

Shakey's Pizza buffet.  50th St in Lubbock.  Crushed this like mofo as a high schooler.  My favorite ever was with the offensive line on our football team, and we hit that place one night after 2-a-days.  They ran out of food( or quit bringing more out.)  Lol.

Edited by slorch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, lemonandaturd said:

1973 was a good year at the Stallion for a poor UT student to get a good CFS, fries and a salad for a buck.  

1993 the cheapest CFS was $5, and that’s only if you hit Hut’s on 2-for-1 day.

Edited by conVINCEd
Edited to add: or Grandy’s, but that’s not a real CFS despite me having a few fond memories there.
  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Brisketexan said:


Guess you missed the Holiday House $1.99 CFS plate special. Used to show up with $5 and get two.

Well, that’s kind of your fault for not being a better mentor.  I realize you were already in law school my freshman year, but for fuck’s sake, point a guy in the right direction.  

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...